Handheld device are continually being reduced in size and improved to meet consumer size, aesthetic, and performance requirements. Slider solution mechanisms permit parts of such devices, such as displays or keypads, to be retracted and hidden when not in use. Slider mechanisms can facilitate miniaturization and offer additional freedom to device designers. However, current sliding mechanisms are complex, bulky, heavy, and expensive. Current sliding mechanisms add significantly to the weight of the devices in which they are incorporated. Further, current sliding mechanisms are relatively thick, making it difficult to incorporate them into aesthetically-pleasing designs.
Known slider solutions have the main display on the outside of the product, however the ergonomics in the open position are not as good as a clam style (i.e. folding type of form factor). The known slider solutions have the following disadvantages: there is an inevitable step, resulting in a difference in heights between the top and bottom housing portions. Therefore the user interface and navigation part of the keypad sits above the numeric element making the overall ergonomics of the keypad poor. The difference in height also makes integrating of the styling between the bottom and top module difficult. The products tend to look disjointed. Most slider motions are flat so when placed on a desk they sit flat like a bar. This does not support the video and multi media user cases required for the trend toward higher tier 3G and beyond communication devices.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention with the accompanying drawings described below.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.